Man charged in downtown Waukesha sexual assault incident now claims insanity as defense
WAUKESHA - The repeatedly legally troubled man charged with sexually assaulting a downtown Waukesha store owner in February has changed his plea and will now seek an insanity self defense.
Kendrew O. Wilson Jr., 24, who had previously had both Milwaukee and Waukesha home addresses, remains in custody on $2 million bail stemming not only from a felony charge of first-degree sexual assault of an elder person but for a separate incident in which he damaged jail property during an outburst.
Wilson, fresh out of jail on a disorderly conduct charge tied to a Metro Transit bus incident, is accused of attacking a 68-year-old woman who had been working in her store at about 6:30 p.m. Feb. 23 when Wilson entered.
According to the criminal complaint, he reportedly first asked if she had any money and then asked to use her landline phone, which records show was used to call a provider of Netspend cards issued to people released from custody for a criminal offense.
The visit turned violent when Wilson allegedly pushed the woman onto a table and then slammed her to the ground, sexually assaulting her and threatening to kill her if she didn't stop fighting him. He was arrested after a manhunt by Waukesha police and others.
On Oct. 6, in court for a status hearing, Wilson, who had previously pleaded not guilty, changed his plea to not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect — often called the insanity defense or NGI — which will now require an evaluation by state officials about his current mental state.
According to court records and reports by the Waukesha Freeman, the plea change caught court officials, even his attorney, by surprise. Defense attorney Ron Sonderhouse explained that he had been unable to meet with his client twice due to an unrelated lockdown at the Waukesha County Jail, where Wilson had been transferred from the Dodge Correctional Institution in Waupun for the hearing.
Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge Shelley Gaylord ordered the state examination that will determine if Wilson's latest plea is valid based on his mental condition. The report is expected to be completed in time for his next hearing on Nov. 20.
According to online records, Wilson has repeatedly been in trouble with the law, mostly involving disorderly conduct charges and related bail jumping counts, in Waukesha, Milwaukee and Racine counties over several years.
His troubles included a May 8 incident at the Waukesha County Jail, in which he reportedly broke two windows and had to be forcibly restrained, resulting in criminal damage to property charges.
His insanity defense pertains to all his outstanding counts, including the jail incident.
Contact Jim Riccioli at (262) 446-6635 or james.riccioli@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @jariccioli.
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee-area man enters insanity plea in sexual assault incident
